Jim Bywater

Look, this is my opinion - right?
Bill Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST is like the Windows Millenium computer operating system. Y'know - "We've spent all this money developing the next generation of our OS we had better publish it. I know it's not brilliant but we've got to recoup".
I think THE TEMPEST is 'work-in-progress'. Shakespeare observed what was going on in society at large, devised a poetic setting in which to 'paint the picture' and discovered that there was no plot to speak of - simply a set of elements which were either in flux, or were constants.
NOTHING HAPPENS!!! There is no action - no physical state-of-things that is attacked, defended or changed. There is no struggle through which the 'combatants' learn something about themselves and each other.
To my mind it's a description of the way God, (whoever she is) was working in the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Like Prospero, she was changing her attitude (or mind) from 'An eye for an eye' to 'Peace and Reconcilliation'. THE TEMPEST is set in Prospero's cell on an island; it could be set in Nelson Mandella's cell on Robin Island.
Maybe Shakespeare's intention was to develop a trilogy - the first part, "Prospero's Fall", set in Milan. The second part, "Prospero's Return", set on his island. The third part, "Prospero's Second Fall"back in Milan. It would be like a collection of "ROCKY" movies in which Prospero is the winner every time but against terrible odds. I wonder if Stallone would be interested? This idea's copyrighted, by the way. How do you spell that - copywrighted?

Posted by Jim Bywater at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Long time, no see. What have I been up to? Well, I played Dame Trott - full name, Dame Tilly Buttermilk Full Fat Egg Custard Fromage Frais Gold Top Devon Knows How They Make It So Creamy I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Gorgonzola Dolcellata Double Gloucester Trott. Cheesy, I know. This, in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK at the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch.
During the final two weeks at Hornchurch I began work on CHASING THE MOMENT, by Jack Shepherd, at the Arcola theatre, Dalston. I played Harry Mossman, the drugged up bass player. In the final week of 'MOMENT' I began rehearsals back at Hornchurch playing Trinculo in THE TEMPEST. Though I say it myself, I got very good reviews in all three productions.
Of course, none of the national press could be arsed to get off their butts and haul themselves over to Hornchurch. However, there are two weeks left of THE TEMPEST so you never know, they might make the effort - though I doubt it.
Whilst rehearsing at the Arcola my agent phoned to say that he was leaving the business and moving to South Africa. So now I am agentless. I have written to six agents and had a reply from one who was going to come to one of the performances. Unfortunately, the performance had to be cancelled because a cast member, Tom Silburn, developed appendicitis and had to be rushed to hospital. As yet, no other agent has had the good grace to reply.
There can only be two reasons for this.
1 - the business is so chocker with prospective clients that the agents don't have to make an effort to find people for their books and,
2 - I'm too old for them to find me enough work to justify working for me.
It can't be because I am inexperienced because I've been doing this job since 1968. And it can't be because I'm useless, because I'm not - for some reason, I'm very good. Maybe, someone is trying to tell me something.
Can you, dear reader, recommend an agent? If you can, pop the name in the 'Comments' section.
Today, with my mate Jack, I played golf in a blizzard. Couldn't see where the ball went, but - excellent!

Posted by Jim Bywater at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)